Top 8 Italian Baptistries

Italy is filled with countless examples of churches and cathedrals, and in parts of Italy, it was common for these structures to be built with separate detached baptistries. Baptistries are religious structures that are purpose-built for the ceremony of Baptism. In certain regions of Italy, it was a tradition that no one could enter the church until after their Baptism – and as a result, many baptistries were made as separate freestanding buildings. Baptistries were often designed to match the adjacent church but could also be completely different structures from various ages in European history. The list below will highlight some of the greatest examples of Italian Baptistries, and illustrate some of the characteristics that make these buildings so unique.

What are the Best Examples of Italian Baptistries?

1. Baptistry of Florence Cathedral – Florence

The Baptistry of the Florence Cathedral is one of the most famous in all of Italy. It’s made from two different colors of marble imported from different parts of the Italian Peninsula. The overall design of the baptistry mimics Florence Cathedral, and it also resembles the church’s bell tower, known as Giotto’s Campanile. Work began on the Baptistry in 1059 and wasn’t complete until later in the 12th century. You can see many elements of Florentine Architecture throughout the building, such as the use of blue and white marble – which can be found in many of Florence’s other churches such as San Miniato al Monte and Santa Maria Novella.

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The baptistry contains a lot of famous works of art from both the Florentine Renaissance and the early Medieval Period. The dome is covered by an incredibly complex Byzantine Style Mosaic, (left image above) which dates from the 13th century. This was a time when the Byzantine Empire had a strong influence on the architecture of Italy. The baptistry’s most infamous works of art are the bronze-casted doors designed by Lorenzo Ghiberti. The Gates of Paradise (right image above) were built with 10 panels, each depicting a scene from the Bible. Ghiberti used new techniques like perspective in a way that amazed the people of Florence at the time. Ghiberti’s work influenced the art and Architecture of Florence for centuries, and many regard the completion of the Gates of Paradise as the start of the Italian Renaissance.

2. Baptistry of Pisa Cathedral – Pisa

Pisa Cathedral is one of the greatest examples of Romanesque Architecture in all of Europe. The church is famous of course for the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but the Baptistry of Pisa is another important building within the cathedral complex. The baptistry illustrates an important change that occurred in architectural history during the early middle ages. The lowest tier of the Baptistry was built in the Romanesque Style, with round arches, small windows, and few details. Construction began on this lower portion in 1152, towards the end of the Romanesque Age. The upper tiers of the Baptistry of Pisa were completed in 1363, and they were designed in the Gothic Style. Here you can see several elements of Gothic Architecture including pointed arches, pinnacles, and lots of intricately carved details.

3. Baptistry of Parma Cathedral – Parma

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Parma is a city in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region. It’s filled with many incredible buildings, including one of three surviving theaters from the Renaissance Age. The city’s principal church is Parma Cathedral, a Romanesque building dating from the 11th-12th century. The detached baptistry for the cathedral is made from a light-pinkish stone and is one of the tallest baptistries in all of Italy. One of the most striking elements on the exterior is the Tympanum – the large archway above the main entrance. The Tympanum contains a series of round arches above a carved stone relief and is similar to many other Tympanums found in Romanesque Architecture.

4. Baptistry of Neon – Ravenna

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Ravenna served as the capital of the Roman Empire starting in 402 CE. It remained the capital until the Fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 CE, and after a brief period of barbarian control, the city was absorbed into the Eastern Roman Empire – also known as the Byzantine Empire. During these times from the 5th-7th century, Ravenna prospered into a leading city in the Meditteranean and many of the city’s most iconic works of architecture were constructed. The Baptistry of Neon was completed in the late 5th century, and it contains an incredible Byzantine Style Mosaic. Today, along with several other buildings within Ravenna, The Baptistry of Neon is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

5. Arian Baptistry – Ravenna

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The Arian Baptistry was built in Ravenna shortly after the Baptistry of Neon. It was constructed at a time when Ravenna was controlled by Theodoric the Great, a barbarian king who ruled a large kingdom centered around Italy and the Adriatic Sea. The Arian Baptistry was made in a very similar fashion to the Baptistry of Neon. Even the mosaics are a similar arrangement – they both depict the Baptism of Jesus surrounded by a ring of the 12 Apostles. After the death of Theodoric, the Byzantine Empire would retake control of Ravenna and they continued to build additional monuments throughout the region.

6. Baptistry of Pistoia Cathedral – Pistoia

Pistoia is a city in the Italian Region of Tuscany. Tuscany is one of Italy’s most traveled regions, and it contains several large cities including Florence, Pisa, and Siena. Pistoia is a smaller Hill Town in Tuscany, and it contains a very early Romanesque Style Church. Construction on Pistoia Cathedral began in the 10th century, and its adjacent baptistry is one of the most striking in all of Italy. Its octagonal design was common in this type of building, and the alternating colors of marble make the Baptistry in Pistoia resemble the great Baptistry of Florence Cathedral.

7. Baptistry of Cremona Cathedral – Cremona

The Baptistry of Cremona Cathedral is a great example of an inconsistent work of architecture, where the design has changed throughout history. The lavish marble exterior was begun in 1167, but only two of the eight sides of the baptistry were completed with this material. The rest of the building is made from brick, which was much more readily available. Although it’s not completely covered in marble like the ones in Florence and Pistoia. the Baptistry of Cremona Cathedral is still a great example of the unique building typology that is the Italian Style Baptistry.

8. Baptistry of Volterra Cathedral – Volterra

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Volterra is another one of the great Hill Towns of Tuscany and it contains a very impressive Baptistry. Like in Cremona, the Baptistry was designed to be built from marble, but a different material was used on all but one side. The baptistry and the rest of Volterra Cathedral were built during the Romanesque Age after a 12th-century earthquake destroyed much of the city. The Baptistry is built in an octagonal plan, with a domed roof. This design created a large open interior space, and like many other Italian Baptistries on this list, the Baptistry of Volterra Cathedral has incredible acoustics.

The Significance of Italian Baptistries

Italian Baptistries are worth studying because of their uniqueness. Unlike most European churches, many Italian cathedrals have detached buildings that were specifically designed for baptisms. These baptistries have their own architectural identity, and they can either contrast or compliment the elements of the adjacent church. Some baptistries date all the way back to ancient times, during the days of the Roman Empire, while others were built in the height of Medieval Europe during the Romanesque and Gothic Periods. The diversity of these buildings is part of what makes them so impressive, and baptistries are a unique part of Italy’s architectural heritage.

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